Aish Baladi

I've recently been exploring breads of the world and came across lots of great information about the origin of fermented starters (sourdough) and leavened breads. I decided to try out a recipe for Aish Baladi, one of the most commonly baked breads of Egypt. "Baladi" means traditional or country and while the standard word for bread in Arabic countries is “khubz” (or a variation thereof) "Aish" means life. In Egypt, bread is life. That resonates with me.

Aish Baladi

Ingredients:
300 g warm water (1 1/4 cups)
6 g sugar or honey (1 tsp)
6 g dry yeast (1 tsp)
385 g whole wheat flour (2 3/4 cups)
8 g salt (1 tsp)
cracked wheat or whole wheat flour for dusting

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the yeast, water and sugar or honey and let stand for 10 minutes. Your mixture should be bubbly or foamy.
2. Mix in one cup (140g) of flour and cover with waxed fabric wrap, cling wrap or a loose-fitting lid. Let this pre-ferment for ½ hour.
3. Add the remaining flour and salt and mix, first with a spoon, and then with your hands. If using a stand mixer with a dough hook attached, use low speed for 2 minutes.
4. When the dough comes together into a ball, scrape it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. If using stand mixer, use low speed for 3 more minutes.
5. Lightly oil a medium sized bowl and add dough, swirling to make sure the top is greased.
6. Cover with waxed fabric wrap, cling wrap or lid and let rest until double, about 1 ½ hours.
7. Punch down dough (de-gas) and divide into 8 equal pieces.
8. Sprinkle two cookie sheets with cracked wheat or whole wheat flour.
9. Roll each piece into a ball then flatten with your fingers until about 5 inches/12 cm in diameter. Place on the wheat dusted cookie sheet. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise for 30 minutes.
10. If cooking in the oven, place baking stone on a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat 500 F/260C.
11. Once dough has risen, work in batches to carefully transfer discs of dough to the hot baking stone using a cooking spatula and cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping half way through.
12. If frying, preheat pan over medium high heat. Add one piece to the pan at a time, cooking like you would pancakes. Once the bottom is golden and the top appears to be puffing up or bubbly (1 - 1 1/2 minutes), flip over and cook the other side. Be sure to wipe out the loose bits of cracked wheat from the pan between each one so it doesn’t burn.
13. If cooking on a rack in the oven, place flattened dough pieces on a cooling rack and place cooling rack in hot oven.
14. Bread is done when it is puffed up and golden.